Getty Ed Reed takes a selfie with his bust during his enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Welcome to the roundup of must-see sports news from Saturday, highlighted by the Pro Football Hall of Fame officially getting eight new members.
We also will take a look at the Houston Astros tossing a historic combined no-hitter against the Mariners, Raiders great Cliff Branch passing away at the age of 71 and Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield sparking a rally for the Indians with a mighty beer chug.
All this and more as we kick off the weekend and get you up to speed with the sports world on this Sunday!
HALL CALL: Eight Legends Enter Pro Football Hall of Fame
Gold jackets were worn and busts were unveiled in Canton, Ohio on Saturday night as eight new members entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
This year’s class included: Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez, Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed, New England Patriots cornerback Ty Law, New York Jets center Kevin Mawae, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, Dallas Cowboys executive Gil Brandt and Chiefs safety Johnny Robinson.
Each induction speech featured its fair share of emotional moments and there were more than a few tears shed over the night. Law gave one of the more emotional speeches in recent memory, crediting his mom and his hometown of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania for the support he received throughout his career.
He also dropped one the most quotable lines of the ceremony when talking about the Patriots dynasty.
“We created a culture. A brotherhood in unselfishness that we displayed as we won three Super Bowl titles. Let’s keep it real. We started this sh–!,” Law said. “They even gave what we created a name. They call it the Patriot Way. But we know where it started fellas. Together, we are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”
Ty Law doesn’t want anybody getting confused 💯
Gonzalez, who revolutionized the tight end position, brought a moment of humor when he shared some advice from his 101-year-old grandmother, who told him: “When you catch that ball, run like hell.”
He followed that advice on his way to the Hall of Fame. Gonzalez collected 15,127 yards receiving and 111 touchdowns in the regular season in his career, which included 14 Pro Bowl selections.
But for as good as Gonzalez was, the night belonged to defensive backs.
Reed was the 2004 Defensive Player of the Year and made nine Pro Bowls. He had 64 career interceptions, good for seventh overall. He led the NFL in INTs three times.
40 Pro Bowls
16 All-Pro teams
4 Hall of Famers
Ed, Champ, Ty, and Tony all set Hall of Fame standards in their careers
Bailey played for Washington and Denver over his 15-year career, intercepting 54 passes in that span and making 12 Pro Bowls.
Robinson, 80, was once a feared safety with the Dallas Texans and then the Chiefs. He got in as a seniors committee nominee (previously known as an old-timer candidate). Robinson appeared in 164 games in 12 seasons between the AFL and NFL, collecting 57 interceptions.
“It’s been 47 years since I last played professional football. After all this time, I thought I had been forgotten. I can’t tell you how pleased I was to be notified as a senior finalist after all these years. Then to receive that knock on the door from David Baker seemed surreal to me,” Robinson said in his speech. “I think back to when I was a young boy and all I ever wanted to do was play ball.”
Mawae — the first player of Hawaiian descent to make it into the HOF — played for three teams (Titans, Seahawks, Jets). He blocked for a 1,000-yard rusher in 13 of his 16 seasons.
Late Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen was posthumously enshrined in Canton with his family on stage. Bowlen’s Broncos made seven Super Bowl appearances — winning three.
Brandt helped build the Cowboys into one of the world’s most recognizable franchises, innovating in both scouting and management.
DUD TO STUD: Aaron Sanchez Has Historic Debut With Astros
The Houston Astros made the biggest splash of the trade deadline by adding Zack Greinke, but they’re getting a nice surprise out of Aaron Sanchez.
Sanchez made a heck of a first impression with the fans in Houston after landing with the Astros via a trade from Toronto this week. The veteran tossed six strong innings to help spark the 12th no-hitter in team history. Relievers Will Harris, Joe Biagini and Chris Devenski finished off the feat.
Sanchez had lost 13 straight decisions and led the majors with 14 losses. He left the Blue Jays with a 6.07 ERA.
“It’s hard to come to a team and feel like you can contribute in a way when they’re already so good,” Sanchez said. “It’s been an unbelievable 48 hours, and for today to end like it did, I’m so happy.”
RIP: Raiders Legend Cliff Branch Dead at 71
GettyFormer Raiders WR Cliff Branch.
Legendary Raiders wide receiver and Super Bowl champion Cliff Branch died at the age of 71 on Saturday. He was considered one of the greatest deep threats in NFL history and was a big part of all three of the team’s Super Bowl runs.
Branch tallied 501 catches for 8,685 yards and 67 touchdowns in his career. However, the most mind-boggling stat on his resume is his 17.3 yards per catch average, which demonstrated his unrivaled big-play ability.
The Raiders released a statement following the news.
“Cliff Branch touched the lives of generations of Raiders fans,” the statement read. “His loss leaves an eternal void for the Raiders Family, but his kindness and loving nature will be fondly remembered forever. Cliff’s on-field accomplishments are well documented and undeniably Hall of Fame worthy, but his friendship and smile are what the Raider Nation will always cherish.”
Branch was a four-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro.
PEOPLE’S CHAMP: Baker Mayfield Slugs Beer, Sparks Indians to Victory
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield knows how to get the people going.
Fresh off the team’s “Orange and Brown” scrimmage on Saturday, Mayfield was looking to quench his thirst at a Cleveland Indians game.
A camera showed Mayfield peacefully sitting in a suite, sipping on a beer before he receives a fresh can on a perfect toss. Quickly, the mustached QB pops the top, stands up and downs the beer shotgun-style in just seconds. Following the chug, Mayfield pointed to the back of his Francisco Lindor jersey, pumping up the crowd even further.
“I just don’t like the idea of my franchise quarterback spending time at a baseball game. I mean, what are you doing, @bakermayfield? You don’t see guys like Aaron Rodgers shotgunning beers. Just not a good look. Go watch some film.” – @ColinCowherd (probably)
Legend. t.co/IUCW1Kp4s3
Talk about working out of the shotgun.
In the moments following the chug, the Indians rallied for five runs, with both Lindor and Jason Kipnis going yard. The Indians won 7-2.
“We all appreciate him,” Lindor said postgame. “We’re all a fan of him. What he did with the beer was pretty impressive.”
Quarterback beer chugs were a huge summer trend. Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky showed off his skills and Lions signal-caller Matthew Stafford did as well. Even NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes had his time in the beer chug spotlight.
But with his epic moment on Saturday, Mayfield is firmly QB1 on the depth chart when it comes to beer chugging.
DON’T MISS THESE STORIES: Rounding Up the Top Sports Headlines
GettyGolden State Warriors forward Draymond Green
- Draymond Green agrees to four-year, $100 million extension with Golden State
- Raiders star WR Antonio Brown heads to foot specialist
- Twins slugger Nelson Cruz, 39, crushes three home runs for second time in 10 days
- USWNT starts victory tour with lopsided 3-0 win over Ireland
WHAT’S ON TAP IN THE SPORTS WORLD
NASCAR: Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen
With only five races remaining until NASCAR’s postseason, several drivers need a win in order to advance to the playoffs. This Sunday’s race will be on a road course in Watkins Glen, New York.
WHEN: Sunday, 3 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN
LPGA: Women’s British Open
In her first LPGA start, Hinako Shibuno is at the top of the leaderboard heading into the final round at Woburn Golf Club. Nicknamed “Smiling Cinderella,” Shibuno holds a two-stroke lead over Ashleigh Buhai with 18 holes to play.
WHEN: Sunday, 11:30 a.m. ET
TV: NBC
Missed yesterday’s roundup? Click here for it.